FIRE IN THE LANDSCAPE FINAL PROJECT REPORT Tina Bell1, Petter Nyman2, Malcolm Possell1, Gary Sheridan2, Tarryn Turnbull1, Liubov Volkova2 and Chris Weston2 The University of Sydney1, The University of Melbourne2 © BUSHFIRE CRC LTD 2014 © Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre 2014. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the copyright owner, except under the conditions permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments. Publisher: Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria ISBN: 978-0-9925027-4-4 Cover: The summit at Lake Mountain, Victoria following the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire. Citation: Bell T, Nyman P, Possell M, Sheridan G, Turnbull T, Volkova L, Weston C, (2014) Fire In The Landscape, Bushfire CRC, Australia, ISBN: 978-0-9925027-4-4 Disclaimer: The University of Sydney, The University of Melbourne and the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre advise that the information contained in this publication comprises general statements based on scientific research. The reader is advised and needs to be aware that such information may be incomplete or unable to be used in any specific situation. No reliance or actions must therefore be made on that information without seeking prior expert professional, scientific and technical advice. To the extent permitted by law The University of Sydney, The University of Melbourne and the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (including its employees and consultants) exclude all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this publication (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it. Contents Executive summary .............................................................................................................. 5 Impact statement from Lead End User ............................................................................... 11 Project 1: Fires and hydrology of south-eastern Australian mixed-species forests ......... 14 Project summary ............................................................................................................. 14 A priori state of knowledge ............................................................................................. 14 Research results .............................................................................................................. 15 Future research ............................................................................................................... 19 End User interaction ....................................................................................................... 20 Outputs ........................................................................................................................... 21 Project 2: Quantifying risk of water quality impacts from burned areas .......................... 22 Project summary ............................................................................................................. 22 A priori state of knowledge ............................................................................................. 22 Research results .............................................................................................................. 23 Future research ............................................................................................................... 31 End User interaction ....................................................................................................... 33 Outputs ........................................................................................................................... 34 Project 3: Environmental impacts of prescribed and wildfire – emissions management 36 Project summary ............................................................................................................. 36 A priori state of knowledge ............................................................................................. 36 Research results .............................................................................................................. 37 Future research ............................................................................................................... 40 End User interaction ....................................................................................................... 40 Outputs ........................................................................................................................... 41 Project 4: Greenhouse gas emission from fire and their environmental effects .............. 43 Project summary ............................................................................................................. 43 A priori state of knowledge ............................................................................................. 43 Research results .............................................................................................................. 44 Future research ............................................................................................................... 51 End User interaction ....................................................................................................... 51 Outputs ........................................................................................................................... 52 Postgraduate student projects ............................................................................................ 54 References ............................................................................................................................ 61 3 4 Executive summary The four research projects in the ‘Fire in the Landscape’ program were positioned within the ‘Managing the Threat’ research stream of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). Over the past four years (2010-2014), researchers from the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney have investigated the effects of fire on water quality and quantity and the changing nature of above and below ground carbon stores after fire. Two of the research projects were developed in response to a key challenge currently facing land managers – maintaining water quality and quantity from forested catchments. Another two research projects were developed to cope with an important issue emerging from climate change and increasing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere – quantifying carbon losses during fire. The projects described in this final report have delivered some innovative research focused on these two broad areas. The ‘water-based’ research projects were: Fires and hydrology of south-eastern Australian mixed-species forests (Project 1) Quantifying risk of water quality impacts from burned areas (Project 2) The ‘carbon-based’ research projects were: Environmental impacts of prescribed and wildfire – emissions management (Project 3) Greenhouse gas emission from fire and their environmental effects (Project 4) The Bushfire CRC research projects were conceived to take best advantage of the capabilities and expertise of researchers from the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney and the facilities available at each institute. Both the carbon- and water-based projects were developed to tackle research questions that, at a high level, were similar but were approached from quite different angles. Regardless of this, the focus of the research was always intended to be practical and appropriate for End User requirements. Projects were designed to be complementary with the view to make them as integrated as possible as the research topics developed and matured. Assimilation of the four projects was achieved in a number of ways including the use of compatible field sites in Victoria, employing well-matched approaches to research and having regular whole-group meetings. Arguably the most effective means of consolidation was consistent presentation our research as a complete ‘Fire in the Landscape’ package at Bushfire CRC workshops, research forums and in written format. The final report presented here is the culmination of our combined efforts to develop and deliver excellent science with a strong End User focus. The Bushfire CRC research presented has been achieved through a wide range of field- and laboratory-based studies. Researchers have worked closely with End Users to address their needs in gaining a greater understanding of what happens to critical components of the environment when there is planned and unplanned fire in the landscape. The research team has produced high quality research that End Users can have confidence in and can trust. For the 5 wider scientific community, the research has been published in a number of peer-reviewed journal articles and presented at national and international conferences. For the End Users audience, our research has been described in a wide array of formats including Bushfire CRC Fire Notes, magazine articles (e.g. Fire Australia, Summer 2014-2014), local conference presentations and research forums using plain language and concentrating on information relevant to fire and land managers. More importantly, ongoing interaction with End User agencies has been achieved through regular meetings and laboratory and field visits. The four ‘Fire in the Landscape’ projects are described in considerable